Advent Sunday I

27-11-2022

This Advent I propose you a new series of homilies in which the goal is to learn from the Christmas characters how to prepare for the birth of Jesus. So on the 1st Sunday we will “Search for Jesus like the Magi”, on the 2nd “Live our life in truth with John the Baptist”, on the 3rd “Let ourselves be surprised by God like the family of Zacharias” and finally on the 4th Sunday “Learn to overcome our fears in order to enter into God’s plan with Joseph and Mary”.

HOW TO BE GOD SEEKERS LIKE THE MAGI?

Why speak about the Magi if we are at the beginning of Advent?

Because long before they met Jesus, they had already travelled a long road and the three important stages at the beginning of Advent: 1. to desire to meet with God; 2. to choose to walk in the light of Jesus; 3. to take small steps (being vigilant and always ready).

1. Desiring to meet with God

In the readings there is this dimension of going up to the Lord, to the house of the Lord. “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, and we will walk in His paths.” (Isaiah 2:3) “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’.” (Psalm 121:2)

To go up to the mountain of the Lord is to desire to find him. It is not to go looking for God who is up there, far away from us! It means setting out on a journey. In this Advent season, “going up” is an interior movement that directs us towards God, towards his house, which is our heart. Do you want to draw near to God and meet him? Do you want to know him? Then you must want to let yourself be transformed, converted.

2. Choosing to walk in the light of Jesus

“Let us walk in the light of the Lord.” (Isaiah 2:5) and “He will teach us his ways and we will walk in his paths.” (Isaiah 2:3).

If we want to meet Jesus and see Him like the Magi, we must choose to let ourselves be guided by His light like the Magi were guided by the star! He alone is the light on our path. Therefore, “The time has come for us to awake out of sleep” (Romans 13:11) – forsaking the works of darkness: “revelries and excesses in drink, lewdness and lust, dissensions and jealousies” (Romans 12:13) and “putting on the armour of light” to reach Christ, who is our hope.

Ask yourself: have I been following the Light or is there darkness in my life? Choose the Light!

3. Take (each day) small steps.

“Watch, for you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Matthew 24:42) “Be ye also ready: for in the hour ye think least, the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:44).

Watching and being prepared does not mean sitting back and waiting for what might happen. But it means each day taking small steps to meet the Lord who is coming. To take the step that the Lord asks of us to meet him and let him come into our lives.

Don’t want to do everything at once. In the perseverance of “step by step” you will reach the One who comes to meet you and who wants to meet you.

Next Small Step

1. Ask yourself: What is my wish for Christmas?
2. 2. Ask yourself: Have I been following the Light or is there darkness in my life?
3. 3. Ask yourself: What is the step that God is asking me to take? Do it!